Written answers

Wednesday, 10 February 2021

Department of Health

Vaccination Programme

Photo of Richard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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925. To ask the Minister for Health if he is considering acquiring Russian and Chinese manufactured vaccines to aid in bridging the gap with the vaccine supply; if the matter has been discussed with NPHET; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7301/21]

Photo of Stephen DonnellyStephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland supports the EU Procurement Process, the purpose of which is to secure safe and efficacious vaccines for EU citizens.

The delivery of vaccines under APAs that the Commission has negotiated on behalf of Member States are predicated upon a CMA being obtained from the Commission (on the basis of a positive recommendation being awarded by the EMA).

The awarding of a CMA provides a high level of assurance that a vaccine has undergone rigorous testing and has met the requirements of the independent regulatory process as regards demonstrating its safety and efficacy.

The award of the CMA as a precondition for the delivery of vaccines also ensures that all Member States that have opted into APAs negotiated by the Commission receive vaccines at the same time (i.e. ensuring fair access to vaccines).

While it is a matter for the individual Member State as regards whether it wishes to authorise a vaccine for emergency usage, doing so incurs significant risk on the Member State concerned and could contribute to vaccine hesitancy more generally.

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